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‘A while’ later . . .
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Vicky and Veronica’s parents had long since gone to bed while the two sisters and Eliza were still sitting at the hotel bar. Vicky was trying to wrap her mind around the fact that her identical twin wasn’t quite so “identical” anymore, and that her beloved sister had literally gone through hell in the last year.
“God . . . I mean . . . Shit, Veronica . . .”
Veronica gave her sister a whimsical grin. “It’s okay,” she said. “It’s been hard for me to process sometimes too.”
“I mean, I’d heard that there were a couple of chicks who dug chicks raising all sorts of hell on this side of the great divide, but . . . damn!” Vicky turned to Eliza. “You know, if you’re the ‘Eliza’ I was hearing about while waiting for my turn to cross, then you’re something of a fairytale legend or monster, depending on who you ask. I mean, people have been talking about the battle and Living Jewels and this psycho woman at the center of it all. I mean, there are some kids already who are saying you’re ten feet tall and breathe fire.”
Eliza looked flustered. “Great. This world is trying to pretend I didn’t do anything, and my old world is already making me into a monster. I think I’m going to just retire and go live in a cabin somewhere.”
“I didn’t mean . . .” Vicky started.
Veronica just grasped her lover’s hand. “Have you heard anything from . . . you know?”
“No. I wasn’t much expecting to,” Eliza answered. “He’s . . . he’s probably already been told. I’ll bet he’s doing ‘damage control’ as we speak.”
Vicky looked confused again. “Who?”
“My father,” Eliza said, getting up and heading outside, suddenly needing to clear her head.
“Sensitive subject,” Veronica said, pulling out her purse so she could pay for their drinks. “Apparently her dad is a hotshot in the government for the entire Devlian continent. They had a big argument right before the portal closed and it’s been weighing on her head ever since. But he doesn’t know she’s gay, or at least he didn’t the last time she talked to him. And from the sounds of things, the guy is really big on tradition and honoring vampire culture.”
Vicky nodded. She had been working as a cultural liaison on Terra for years before the gap closed, and getting any sexual action had been difficult do to the strong social stigma against same-sex coupling. The two sisters got up and followed Eliza outside, finding her sitting on the steps leading up to the hotel with her head in her hands. The two women sat down next to the white-haired Hybrid.
“So where on Devlia are you from? I spent a long time down there touring down there, doing music and art exchange shows,” Vicky said.
“Gralta Province,” Eliza said. “It’s down south . . .”
“I’ve been there,” Vicky replied. “About a year and a half ago. It’s got some WONDERFUL hiking trails,” she said excitedly. “I especially like the one that follows the Devlian River to the waterfalls.”
That thought made Eliza smile. “My parents used to have a vacation cottage down near the river,” she murmured. “I used to play down there all the time. I could sit and stare at the falls for hours. But my parents sold the place when my father became Security Director for the continent. They decided they just wouldn’t have time to use it anymore.”
Vicky’s eyes had shot open (again). “Wait. Did you say ‘Security Director’? Your father is Evlidone Msabdteelfinclor?”
“Is that how you pronounce your surname?” Veronica asked.
“Yes. It usually gives humans a headache to even TRY to say it.” Eliza turned to Vicky. “Why do you ask?”
“I’ve MET your father,” the woman said hurriedly. “We did a show with the court . . . I guess you could call it orchestra . . . for the Prime Minister’s birthday. Very intense man.” Vicky bit her bottom lip. “And I was kind of wondering why one of the most important political figures took on security of the Terran side of Point Terminal personally, and why he’s been standing around on the other side of the gate for almost a week now. One of the guards said he hasn’t eaten or slept in days and . . .”
Eliza was stunned. “That couldn’t be him. There’s no way they’d let him out of the Capital if there was even a CHANCE of there being revolutionaries about.”
“It was him all right. Even if I hadn’t met him before, everyone in the crowd was wondering what he was doing there.”
Eliza wasn’t sure what she was feeling anymore, but whatever it was seemed pretty intense. The streetlight overhead shattered and sparked under the pressure of Eliza’s will and several nearby cars began to shudder.
Veronica held Eliza until she calmed down. “Sweetheart, this has gone on long enough. Go talk to him. Waiting and wondering isn’t going to make things any easier. No one will stop you if you want to go through, so just go. Right now, before you have a chance to . . .”
Eliza wasn’t even waiting for her lover to finish. Veronica had been right about one thing. The waiting was too much. The confrontation she had been dreading was just down the road, and she couldn’t avoid it any longer. She took off at a brisk walk.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Veronica said to her sister. “I should be there for her,” she added, taking off down the street.
When they got to the Point Terminal, there were still streams of people going each way. Eliza got in line, but Veronica had to keep her from chickening out on more than one occasion. Then they reached the portal. It was a shimmering circle of vibrant red that actually seemed to be humming when you stood close enough.
“Ready?” Veronica asked.
“No,” Eliza said, staring straight ahead.
“Tough.” Veronica grabbed her lover’s hand and together they walked forward. The energy seeped around them like oil, but it didn’t stick to their skin. It was much less noisy than the old portal had been. The Dragon’s Breath apparently wielded a very powerful, stable type of magic.
They emerged on the other side within seconds. While the Earth side of the terminal was very angular and modern, the Terran side was a conglomeration of whimsy and curves. It looked like the wonderful city of Oz, but not quite as green. The Terran guards were standing on either side of the portal stared at Eliza for a moment, then some form of recognition dawned on them. There was a long ramp leading down to the center of a circular room. As the two Hybrids started down the ramp, the crowd at the bottom started to dissipate, all of them staring at the unique creatures that were approaching. They may not have looked much different than vampires but in that world of magic, people could sense something was amiss with these two.
{{ It’s not too late to run screaming, }} Eliza sent.
{{ I’m not sure if that would make more of a scene than we are already making or less. }}
By the time they reached the foot of the ramp, there was about twenty feet of space between them and the nearest bystander. The murmur was almost deafening. The crowd directly across from them shifted like a living thing before slowly parting. There were only two beings left standing in that space. One of them was an elegant lady, standing six feet tall and carrying herself with a natural grace. The man standing next to her was actually an inch shorter, but authority and power crackled around him as if it too were alive. The woman looked like she was about to cry. The man looked like he was torn.
Despite the feelings about same-sex couples, Eliza kept her hand in Veronica’s as they took the final step onto the polished stone floor. For a moment, there were only four people in that room that mattered. Then Veronica slowed until she was a step behind her lover, and the woman on the other side stood just behind her male counterpart. The man and Eliza had eyes locked onto each other.
“Hello father.”